Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadwitim’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Bonmadwitim’, characterized by its single type white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Argyranthemum×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Bonmadwitim’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant botanically known as Argyranthemum×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bonmadwitim’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia during November 2003. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Argyranthemum cultivars that are freely flowering with unique flower coloration and a freely branching, compact, and upright growth habit.

The new Argyranthemum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selection designated 03-46, not patented, characterized by its single type dark red-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and upright, open growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding selection designated 03-164, not patented, characterized by its single type deep red-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and open, straggly growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during May 2004 in a controlled environment at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2004 at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Bonmadwitim’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant:

-   -   1. Single type white-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact, and upright-mounded growth         habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and growth habit and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Argyranthemum cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is MADEIRA White ‘OHMADLEVA’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,857. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘OHMADLEVA’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are taller than plants of         ‘OHMADLEVA’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more inflorescences than         plants of ‘OHMADLEVA’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bonmadwitim’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Bonmadwitim’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Bonmadwitim’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Sep. 15, 2006 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 8 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum×hybrida cultivar     Bonmadwitim. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding             selection designated 03-46, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Argyranthemum×hybrida breeding             selection designated 03-164, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, and upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 18.7 cm. Width: Approximately 18.3 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 14.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length from soil level to base of             peduncle: Approximately 8.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately             3.3 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 7.5 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color of young stem: Glaucous, 144C.             Color of mature stem: Glaucous, 144C with woody base of             199B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 11. Fragrance: Strong, sweet. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem; leaf blade obtuse angle             to stem with age. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Parted. Apex:             Acute, cuspidate. Base: Attenuate, decurrent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             4.9 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 3.1 cm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface of young foliage: Glaucous, 137C with venation of             144B. Color of lower surface of young foliage: Lighter than             137D with venation of 144C. Color of upper surface of mature             foliage: Glaucous, 137B with venation of 144B. Color of             lower surface of mature foliage: 137D with venation of 144C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bonmadwitim’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 7 to 8 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Solitary, composite. Persistent.             Shape: Round. Aspect: Facing upward and outward.             Arrangement: Terminal, positioned above the foliage. Disc             and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Average             quantity per plant: Approximately 19. Diameter:             approximately 3.1 cm. Fragrance: Slight, sweet.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, pliable. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 7.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Glaucous, 144A.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 6 to 7 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Average             quantity per plant: Approximately 7.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Diameter:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Color: 155D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 21.             Arrangement: Imbricate in a single whorl. Aspect: Slightly             convex, turning downward with age. Shape: Ligulate. Margin:             Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate, fused to form a tube.             Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 4.7 mm.             Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Glabrous, ribbed. Color of upper surface when first             and fully open: Purer white than 155D. Color of lower             surface when first and fully open: Purer white than 155D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 110.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape:             Tubular with 5 lobes. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous with glandular pubescence on lower             half. Gland color: Colorless. Color when fully open: 14A             transitioning to base of 144D.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.2 cm. Depth: Approximately             7.6 mm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Cone. Height: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Diameter at base: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: 145B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence Approximately 20.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in several whorls. Shape:             Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Length: Approximately 3.8 mm. Width: Approximately 2.2 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, papery along             edges. Color of upper surface: 143A in center with             transparent margins of N199B. Color of lower surface:             Closest to 143C in center with transparent margins of N199B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 8A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 13B. Gynoecium: Present on ray and             disc florets. Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma             length: Approximately Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 14A.             Style length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Style color: 1C,             transparent. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary             color: 145D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Argyranthemum has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmadwitim’, substantially as herein shown and described. 